Quote:

Monte,
My post wasn't really aimed at you. It's just that there are so many guys beating down flat tappet builds anymore that the guy with very little budget is almost bullied into thinking if he doesn't spend the money for a roller he will destroy his engine.
I personally enjoy out running big inch roller cammed race fueled bracket cars with a flat tappet stock stroke pump gas build.

But I'm poor so maybe that's why???
Keith

Yeah, but you are not doing that because you have a FT cam. You are doing that because the other guy just likely has a pile of mismatched parts and you have a well sorted combo.

I like everybody else ran a big FT years ago, but that was because you HAD to. Don't now, so I surely don't.

And the cost thing in my opinion is blown WAY out of proportion. Somebody said it cost $1500 to put a roller cam in his motor. Really, how was that. A FT is $200 a roller is $350.......so that's $150. Then lifters for a FT are $125 and roller lifters are $350 and up. So that's less than $400 more the roller setup costs you. Now if you went from a small hydraulic and had to buy springs, locks, retainers, pushrods etc, you could spend that much......but wouldn't all those same parts be required if you went to a BIG FT??.......Then there is the aggravation of breaking the FT in properly and the fear of wiping a lobe off it doing so..........No thanks, I will spend the extra $500 or so.

I understand a budget, I really do, but I am also a believer in spending my money wisely, on things that will help the motor and make it MORE reliable. Because more times than not, it ends up saving you money in the long run.

Monte